This invention relates to the field of pickup truck bed liners. More specifically, the invention relates to bed liners with accommodations for ballast.
Pickup trucks have great utility as working vehicles, and recently, they have enjoyed increased popularity for general use. This popularity appears to result from the value in having a vehicle that serves purposes both as transportation and as a carrier of cargo or tools. The design of the usual pickup truck causes it to suffer poor traction and poor ride characteristics. Truck manufacturers have improved upon these characteristics somewhat through advanced suspension system designs. Many truck owners have recognized the cause of the problems as the comparative lightness in weight in the rear of the pickup truck versus the front of the truck.
The recognition of the cause has resulted in self help solutions, typically the addition of some sort of ballast in the rear of the pickup truck bed. Many times these solutions are in the form of cement blocks, sand bags, tool cribs or other heavy materials that are readily available. The truck owner in maximizing the effectiveness of the ballast seeks to position it as far to the rear of the truck bed as possible, leading in some cases to extensions of the rear bumper that compatibly retain the ballast.
Another solution has resulted in the incorporation of ballast materials in a plastic form that compatibly fits within the framework of the inner side wall of the pickup truck cargo bed. This concept allows the ballast to be placed in an area that is not normally used as cargo space. The forms are specially designed to fit the existing contour of the inner side wall area and may be removed en masse to alter performance characteristics.
Still other solutions use the retention of ballast in compartments or containers held in the bed area. These units have other useful functions such as storage of tools or equipment. They do, however, detrimentally detract from the overall bed area, causing a corresponding reduction in the utility of the pickup truck cargo capacity.
The protection of the value of the pickup truck to its owner has led to certain innovations. One very effective product has become much sought after, and is many times offered as an option with the initial purchase of a new pickup truck. The product is known as a bed liner and is usually a plastic insert that is fitted to the interior of the pickup truck bed. The liner has the benefits of protecting the pickup truck bed from scratches and dents when cargo is being transported, and also prevents water, salt, snow or other potentially damaging materials from collecting on the surface of the pickup truck bed. Such materials still collect on the bed liner, but owing to its plastic construction, no harm results.
The bed liners are tailored to the individual truck requirements. Specifically, provisions are made in the liner design to accommodate tire wells that encroach into the bed area in the typical pickup truck. Further, the height and width dimensions are made compatible so as to maximize the coverage of the liner to the bed. In some cases attachment of the liner to the bed is made, resulting in what amounts to an integral unit.
The usage of the bed liner does not appreciably interfere with the utility of the cargo capacity of the pickup truck. Thus the benefits derived from the bed liner are not offset by some disadvantage.
The objectives of the present invention are to retain the benefits both of the ballast approach to resolving pickup truck performance characteristics and the protective results of bed liner installations. It is further an objective of the present invention to minimize the intrusion of any such installation in the cargo area of the pickup truck bed. Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a nonskid surface for carrying cargo while protecting the truck bed finish. As will be seen, these and other objectives are uniquely obtained in the embodiments of the present invention in a manner that advances the teachings of the previous and different approaches by unexpected and surprisingly efficient means.